Review: Two Roses for Richard III at the Roundhouse

RSC Two Roses for Richard III at the Roundhouse, performed by the Brazilian Companhia Bufomecânica.

The RSC are promoting a huge amount of events over the coming weeks, as part of the World Shakespeare Festival, companies from all over the globe are bringing London alive, filling the audiences with wonder, with varying takes on Shakespeare.

As someone who was never given the opportunity to study Shakespeare. Every time the opportunity arises to view a production, I jump at it. Always overflowing with intrigue, intent, sex and soul.
Every production is new, full of learning. If you have never been now is the time! with tickets for 16-25’s running at £5.00 for a night out, “”a bit of culture”” is to be had. Man you will not be disappointed!!

The female cast was very strong in this production and arguably carried the weaker male cast, Glimpses of real passion from Marcio Vito and Carol Machado who for me was the heart of the production, she captivated the audience. The intermittent comedy from Thierry Tremouroux was withering but a light not sure it quite befitted the production, and was slightly distracting.

Punctuated with music wonderful visual use of suspended ropes were artists launched themselves into space, ladders that spun over the stage, towers that rouse from the stage, which its self was angled down into the audience, allowing the audience to fell more part of the production. A nice touch at the start was the performers coming onto the stage undressing then redressing in there acting garb, which in one swoop removed layers of dross, enabling a more honest approach to the work, very Brechtian, loved it!!